Surprise....

I was not going to do a post today or tomorrow, but I really need something to keep my mind off of so many things that are going on in my life, and my desk looked lonely! Plus , always nice to be amongst understanding friends.

Man can it turn on a dime and not in a good way. Might be awhile before I can even shop again to add to my decor, so going to have to draw upon what I have already done and then site seeing I have already done till we get through this rough patch. I know I was to share with you the Folsom trip, but will be saving that for a bit as I said till I collect all the photos I want and my Daughter gets her art up tomorrow so I have more content. I think today I shall start a series on place settings...and also would love your opinion on blog length and content...if there is something you would like to see , read about, not read about , length of the blog, short, medium , long. Would love feed back. Also, you can see that to the side bar I have added a few things, be sure to check them out!


Summer Place settings, oh and a what not to do....
Today we will start with the what not to do, and then will profile place settings that I have seen in the local home stores ...I will profile one store a day for a few days ...so basically it will be eye candy ...but then what a better way to start ones day?

I always love a beautiful place setting and table scape, and wish I could recreate such a thing in my own home, sadly it is not practical..it is doable, and on a tiny budget as well, and really does not take much skill, simply imagination. I have been thinking when things get a wee bit better I mite bite the bullet and set one up and just deal with needing to remove it when hubby wants to set his computer there, or we actually are home at the same time to eat.....OH! You thought I was talking about setting one up for actual use , not just display....well , yes, I suppose you could do that...but not sure , unless I was having a party I would , cause well, who wants to wipe their mouths on a cloth napkin that cost more than the food on the plate???

So what are your thoughts on setting up a table with a setting and table scape just for the pure beauty of it??? Just to create this same type of eye candy to see each and every day, and if you feel like living on the edge , to actually use!

This is an example of what NOT to do....We actually went to our local home consignment store and they were actually trying to sell this whole set for 19.95! here is the kicker...we spotted Zgallerie Peacock feather place mats , something I have wanted for some time, but have always been out of budget, and I was so excited....I could have several for less than the price of one....then we got closer and saw this:
Not a bad looking setting, not the best....but creative, and even in my colors...so my daughter reached out and went to retrieve the place mat and this is what happened:
IT was ALL glued together! OH! AND it was all plastic, and this plate as you can see is even broken! My daughter and I gasped at the thought, the "sacrilege " to use a Z place mat in such a manner!

Oh I do not mind plastic dishes and glasses , no not at all , they have their place in the world, and especially during warm weather , outside or say for children...we have to have plastic wine glasses for the pool area at our complex, so I understand. Oh and there are some lovely ones out there, even at Z , but this ....and to be glued....again I get that it is for a staged place setting, and well talk about easy removal, but ....ok calming down now....breathe....breathe....

Now let's share a couple lovely settings from Pier One.....
Very festive and patriotic! They even used plastic, and that again is ok, especially around the fourth when you are having so many over and do not want to worry about breakage of your place settings...isn't this cute???

Here is a slightly more peaceful, well done, and very simple one, easy to move or in expensive enough to use , more of an every day place setting:
Tomorrow I will share all the fun and beautiful ones from Crate and Barrel ....remember to set a place for me ;o)